1973/74 Acapulco VW Thing Limousine for Sale
This is a Fantastic Safari Grande Acapulco VW Thing Limo
But We Have Another Cool 1974 VW Thing for Sale - Check it Out!
Custom built by The Thing Shop in AZ! Featured in Dune Buggies and Hot VW's Magazine
Up for auction is this SUPER COOL 1973/1974 - 6 door - Acapulco Thing! This is THE “Safari Grande” featured in Dune Buggies and Hot VW's built by Larry Dustman of the Thing Shop in Arizona. There are many more photos (and even Videos!) of this classic VW Thing below.
This Thing has had a couple owners since Larry Dustman built the car in the late 1980's. One of the owners had Larry redo the paint and seats from yellow and white to the present scheme of blue and white. This “Safari Grande” was made from the front half of a 1973 Thing (so it has a gas heater) and the rear half of a 1974 Thing so it has rear heat as well! This is one of only 2 that Larry has made (emails from Larry and Michele Dustman are below). The other one has since been lost/destroyed (it was last photographed in a junkyard in Idaho). That loss leaves the world with this--The only living and strong-running Acapulco Thing Limo built by the professionals at The Thing Shop!
“Safari Grande” features the following:
- A stretched Hard Top
- A stretched Acapulco Top
- Full roll bars
- Seat-belt Seating for 7 Adults
- Monster Engine! (Hot VW's stated a 2387 was installed after the photo shoot for the magazine article. Engine is huge and roars but actual displacement isn't known. You can sure spin the tires though!)
- Dual carbs
- Hard Plexiglas side curtains from the Thing Shop (for all 6 doors!)
- Has been restored since Larry changed the color scheme back in the late 90's
- 4 brand new ball joints
- Duel Batteries (with circuit to run on either or both)
- Extra Fuel Tank
Here are some recent emails from Larry and Michele Dustman:
April 19, 2006 From: Michele Dustman “The old stretch looks like it’s in pretty good shape. I guess you noticed that we put together the front end of a 1973 and the rear end of a 1974 so it has both types of heat? Cool, huh?”
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
“...from what I can see it is indeed the stretch limo we built in the 80’s. In fact, it is the same “Safari Grande” featured on the cover of Hot VW’s in ’87 (I think it was ’87). After we built it, we took the editor of Hot VW’s to our beach cabin in Mexico and he wrote that article about the car. We had the limo for a few years and then sold it. It went to New Mexico or Texas to a chain of gift stores and from there it went to live at a bed and breakfast place. The guy at the bed and breakfast eventually called us and said he wasn’t using it and it was a shame to let it just sit. So we bought it back and changed it from the yellow and white set up in the magazine to the blue and green “strobe stripe” version with blue leather seats to match. We also made a stretch hard top and stretch glass side curtains to go with it. We kept it around the shop for another couple of years for display. Then we sold it to a customer in Palm Springs who had wanted it before (when yellow and white) but didn’t have the money then. I’ve heard from time to time that he wanted to sell it. So I suspect since you bought it from Palm Springs it’s probably “Safari Grande”. Congratulations!! I hope it’s still in good shape."
"After the article came out in Hot VW’s, the owner of a VW, Porsche dealership in Hawaii saw the article and asked us to build one for him which we did and shipped it to Hawaii. I believe that one, which was also yellow and white, is still living in Hawaii. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll forward this to Larry too and see if he has any comments. Thanks for contacting us – it’s good to know “Safari Grande” has found another good home!"
Now it's time again for "Safari Grande" to find a good home. It doesn't come up for sale very often so if you miss out on it this time it could be another 10+ years before you have another opportunity! There are many more photos in the galleries below. The link is just below this written description. Please spend some time viewing all of the photos so you'll know the exact condition of this historic VW Thing. Enjoy the photos AND VIDEOS, call or email with any questions before bidding (612) 805-2428, and GOOD LUCK winning Safari Grande!!!
Click an image below for many more detailed photos
of the interior and exterior of this Acapulco VW Thing Limo
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| VW Thing Acapulco Limo Body Gallery | VW Thing Acapulco Limo Close-Up Gallery |
Take a look at our Current Classic Cars for Sale!
See this Safari Grande Acapulco VW Thing Limo in action below:
Videos include walk around, startup, drive-away, and more!
